Lansford receives $40,000 grant for streetlight project

Lansford Borough is a little closer to being able to replace the streetlights in the business district thanks to a $40,444 grant, but it was only a portion of what they requested to complete the project.

Last week, state Sen. John Yudichak and Rep. Doyle Heffley announced the Monroe County Local Share Account grants for the area.

Lansford was awarded a $40,444 grant for phase II of its downtown streetscape improvement project. The borough asked for about $179,000.

The project would replace the existing streetlights and poles on the south side of Ridge Street between Tunnel and Coal streets.

Three years ago, the borough completed phase I of the streetscaping project, which involved new sidewalks and plantings along the same stretch of Ridge. During that phase, workers placed electrical conduit underground for the streetlights in phase II.

The nonprofit organization Lansford Alive wrote the grant on behalf of the borough. It has committed $5,000 to the project.

“It’s going to be a multiyear and multiphase project. It’s a good start, a good continuation from where the project was left off,” said Christopher Ondrus, Lansford Alive board president.

The award is only about one quarter of what is needed to finish the project. But the borough has several years to spend the money.

“I’m hoping to meet with borough officials so we can look at other ways of trying to fund it, to try and make it happen,” Ondrus said.

Council President Jared Soto said council will discuss the grant at its meeting on April 10. The borough has to let the state know by the end of the month what it plans to do with the funds.

“If we don’t get funding for the remainder of the project, we would have to see how much of the project could be completed with the money we were given and look at other options,” Soto said.

In past years, Lansford has gotten $275,000 for phase I of the streetscaping project, $160,000 for a borough garage, $35,000 for the Lansford Pool and $58,000 for American Fire Co. No. 1.

Ondrus said that the hope is that the borough can get more grant funds in the coming years to do streetscaping on more blocks in the downtown business district.

“We know it’s going to take time and quite a few years, but as long as … we have the backing of the businesses in town, residents, and the council, I think we’ll be able to continue with this as time moves forward,” Ondrus said.